Lastinger contracts up for extension

The contracts between the Pinellas County School Board and the University of Florida's Lastinger Center are up for an extension and headed for the July 26 board meeting. The two contracts (attached below) total $1.58 million, with $1.21 million coming from federal Title II money and $369,818 from Title I school improvement grants.

Lastinger's involvement with Pinellas' professional development efforts has grown in recent years, but several board members continue to raise questions. A total of $6.44 million has been spent on Lastinger-led efforts in Pinellas since 2007-08, with $3.65 million coming from the district through a variety of sources. See the funding breakdown in the attachment below.

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Gradebook features education articles and insights on schools in Florida, focusing on Tampa Bay area schools. What's the latest from the Florida Department of Education? How is the FCAT being used to compare Florida schools? What's going on in Tampa Bay schools? Get an insider's view from the Times education reporting team.